Ivory ban is affecting Native artists

The distance between Africa and Alaska is 8,597 miles, but earnest efforts to protect African elephants are having unintended consequences for Alaska Natives. Legislation banning the sale and trade of elephant ivory is impacting our ability to sell legal ivory artworks from walrus, mammoth and mastodon – a devastating economic result for Alaska Native artists.

VOICE is asking lawmakers to publicly clarify anti-ivory legislation to exclude traditional uses in order to preserve the economic well-being of Alaska’s Native artists.

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Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization established to provide direct input from the Iñupiat people in matters of Arctic policy. VOICE’s membership includes 20 of the 28 entities from across the North Slope including tribal councils, municipal governments and Alaska Native corporations.